Objectives This research aimed to systematically review the acute effects of amphetamine (AMP), a dopamine‐releasing agent, on working memory (WM) and other cognitive performances. The investigation also aimed to review the impact of personality traits on the subjective and objective effects of AMP and possible links between personality traits and effects of AMP. Methods Previous double‐blind controlled studies assessing the main effects of AMP on WM and other cognitive performances in healthy volunteers were systematically reviewed. An electronic search was performed in the PUBMED and SCOPUS databases. Narrative reviews of the influence of personality traits on the subjective and objective effects of AMP were included. Results Nineteen WM studies were included in the current review. Seven studies found effects of AMP on spatial WM, but only one study found the effect of AMP on verbal WM. Thirty‐seven independent studies on other aspects of cognitive performance were identified. Twenty‐two reported effects of AMP on cognitive functions. Studies also showed that personality traits are associated with the subjective effects of AMP. However, few studies reported the impacts of personality traits on the objective (such as WM) effects of AMP. Conclusion Overall, findings indicate that AMP has mixed‐effects on spatial WM and other cognitive functions, but it lacks effects on verbal WM. Although there are insufficient studies on objective measures, studies also indicated that the subjective effects of AMP administration are linked to between‐person variations in personality traits.

Objectives Our team previously showed that like the experience of the rubber hand illusion (RHI) in people with schizophrenia and their offspring¸ dexamphetamine administration to healthy volunteers increases the stimulus binding windows (BWs) in RHI. It is not clear if similar expansions of BWs are present for unimodal illusions. Studies have also shown that subjective or objective effects of amphetamine would be linked to between‐person variations in personality measures. Therefore, we aimed to examine the effect of dexamphetamine (DEX), a dopamine‐releasing stimulant, on illusory perception using unimodal sensory stimuli (Tactile Funneling Illusion [TFI]) across both temporal and spatial variables. We further examined the relationship between changes in psychometric scores and changes in illusion perception induced by dexamphetamine. Methods Healthy subjects (N = 20) participated in a randomized, double‐blind, counter‐balanced, placebo‐controlled, cross‐over study. The effects of dexamphetamine (0.45 mg/kg, PO, q.d.) on funneling and error of spatial localization (EL) were examined using TFI. Psychotomimetic effects were assessed using a battery of psychological measures. Results Dexamphetamine did not significantly increased the funneling illusion (p = 0.88) or EL (p = 0.5), relative to placebo. However, the degree of change in psychometric scores following dexamphetamine positively correlated with changes in funneling (ρ = 0.48, p = 0.03, n = 20), mainly at 0 ms delay condition (ρ = 0.6, p = 0.004, n = 20). Conclusion Unlike multimodal illusions, alteration of BWs does not occur for unimodal illusions after administration of a dopamine‐releasing agent. However, our findings indicate that moderate release of dopamine, through its psychotomimetic effect, indirectly influences unimodal illusion.

Background Emergency departments (ED) are an important site for screening patients with suicidal behaviors. However, there is insufficient data in low-and middle-income countries regarding the magnitude of suicidal attempts among patients attending EDs. Therefore, the present study aimed to screen suicidal behavior and factors associated with suicide in patients attending an ED of Addis Ababa Burn, Emergency and Trauma Hospital, Ethiopia. Method A facility-based quantitative cross-sectional study was conducted between April and June 2018. A total of 398 participants were recruited using a consecutive sampling technique. The collected data collected includes structured questionnaires containing sociodemographic determinants, chronic medical illness conditions, substance use characteristics, social support level, common mental disorders (CMD) screening, suicidal behaviors assessment and suicidal attempts reason and method. Results The prevalence of suicidal behavior and suicidal attempts were 8% and 6.3%, respectively. Suicide was attempted most frequently in the 18–24 age group. There was no overall difference in sex distribution for suicidal attempts. However, there were sex-based differences when the age group was taken into consideration. The commonest underlying reason for the attempt was social reasons (44%), while the most frequently reported attempt method was hanging (36%). No single factor was found to be significantly associated with the suicidal attempt. Conclusion Although suicidal behaviors are more common in patients attending the ED than in the general population, these facts have previously got little attention in patient attending EDs in low and middle income countries. The present findings support the need for a more detailed assessment of suicidal behaviours in patients attending ED and in patients with CMD.

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